Love Is Deaf, Not Blind
by ElricLover244
Summary: Arthur has to deal with the fact that he is deaf and feels a burden to his loved ones, including Alfred. Usuk oneshot.


I sat on the couch and watched my brothers wrestle. It was quite an unfair match. Peter was only twelve and Laine was now twenty. The age difference was large. A hand tapped my shoulder and I looked up. Mother pointed to the door and I turned to see Alfred standing in the doorway, a broad smile gracing his lips. I smiled back and stood. I walked to the door and held out my hand. Instead, Alfred pulled me into a brotherly embrace. He was warm despite the snow flurrying outside. Mother and Peter waved goodbye as we headed out.

Alfred and I walked down the sidewalk, cars rarely passing by. If Alfred was rambling like he did in school then it was just to hear his voice since I couldn't hear him anyways. The younger male nudged me and I looked up at him. He pointed to the sky and stopped. I stopped as well and I too looked at the dark sky. Flurrying snow fell peacefully around my friend and I, the stars and snow hard to tell apart. A star shot across the sky. He smiled and I saw him whisper something. I too made my wish.

To be able to hear.

When I was four I had a seizure while camping with my brother Laine. I had been deaf ever since. Alfred moved next door two years later. I remember him running up to the bus stop and asking questions. I never answered. I didn't even know what he had asked. When he found that I had no hearing, he reacted differently than other children had always acted. He wanted to be my friend.

He learned sign language with me. We taught each other new things all the time. Alfred communicated for me with everything. At school, at his house, anywhere. He was by my side to help me out always. It was nice to have such a trustworthy friend.

Laine was out with his friends or in his room (the twit refuses to move out yet) and so he uses mother to communicate. Peter has a hard time learning sign language so I try not to trouble him. I feel bad to bother him with my disorder. It makes me sad to see that he isn't the center of attention like he should be. That is why I try to get out of the house as much as possible.

"What did you wish for?" Alfred signed. I smiled. He knew, but he always tried to get me to try and talk. I was always too embarrassed to do it. So instead I shook my head. Alfred frowned and stuck out his tongue. I pushed him and we laughed. I could see him laughing and it made me warm inside.

We went over to his house. Alfred's mother had invited me over for dinner and it was hard to turn her down. When we got there Mathew waved at me. Alfred's older brother walked over and signed hello. He didn't know a whole lot of sign, but Alfred taught him the little things. They were twins, actually, but Matt was three hours older. He seemed the younger sibling most times.

I shook hands with Alfred's mother and father and sat down with them. They all chatted and Alfred spoke for me. It was saddening when they laughed at a joke or shared a story and all I could do was sit. Sit and watch them enjoy themselves. Alfred sensed my despair and excused us to his room. I sat on his bed and blinked back tears. Alfred laid a hand on my shoulder and smiled weakly.

"It'll be okay, Arthur." He said. It wasn't it sign. He mouthed it. He was good at making it so I was able to read his lips with ease. I nodded slowly like I always did. It wouldn't be okay and it would never change. It was the most depressing thing. But things could be worse. I could have lost my sight and never been given the chance to be blessed with Alfred's face. His beautiful sapphire eyes and full lips. I was thankful for that.

The next day I came out of school as Alfred mouthed a story about how trigonometry was a bitch and that it was all so stupid. I just watched how his lips moved. It sent a shudder down my spine.

The two of us walked to the park and sat on a bench. It was still cold. It was now Christmas break and soon school would end and the two of us would go to college. My family didn't have money for it so I was relying on scholarships that might not happen. Alfred promised he wouldn't go to college without me. It was comforting and troubling all at once. What if I was causing him trouble? I didn't want to be holding him back.

The two of us walked to my house and headed to my room and helped each other with our homework. People would think I was dumb for being deaf, since ironically before dumb meant stupid it meant deaf, and then they would see me work out a complicated problem and stare. Their expressions made me feel a lot better.

I pushed my book away and put my head in my hands. Stress overwhelmed me.

Alfred poked my arm and motioned to the Xbox. We were long overdue for a good round of Black Ops.

Peter talked fast as I strolled through the supermarket with him. I let him talk and pretended that I could listen to make him feel better. He stopped and looked at a new game I know he had been wanting. I licked my lips and checked my wallet. There was the fifty mother had given me for groceries and my extra money. I was saving up for Alfred's Christmas present and what I wanted to get him was a lot. I sighed and quickly thought out a new plan as to how I would afford it and grabbed the toy.

My little brother looked puzzled. I smiled and wrote something down on the list. He read it and smiled at me. "Early present" I mouthed.

When we got home I bit my lip and looked at the calendar. I had five dollars left and Christmas was in a week. How was I to afford Alfred's present now? I looked in the catalog again and tried to find something cheaper. It was already a risk what I was going to do. My stomach churned. Mother kissed my forehead and signed for me not to worry.

Alfred came over later and we watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with subtitles. The two of us watched it every year as a tradition. Alfred and I sat there watching it. He put his arm around me and smiled. I looked up at him.

"I never get tired of watching this with you." He mouthed. I nodded. I loved this movie and enjoying with him only made it better. I could have watched fucking Twilight and I wouldn't give a damn as long as he was there with me. I would still complain though. His laptop hummed on my legs and it was warm.

My eyes felt heavy and when I opened them Alfred was snuggling me, snoring quietly. My alarm clock read five in the morning. I sat up and shook him gently.

He rolled and I shook him harder. To no avail had I woke him up. I thought a moment before kissing him. Alfred moved again then opened his eyes. He blinked and yawned. He sat up and looked at me.

"What time is it?" he said. It took me a moment before I understood what he had groggily asked. I pointed at the clock and he looked. He seemed more awake now and sighed. "You seemed restless." I shook my head. He stood and stretched.

In the morning we had breakfast and he left. I walked to my room and took some games that were a few years old. Left 4 Dead, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Halo, I even gave up Halo Reach. Alfred had it too so I could manage. I put them in a bag and headed to Game Exchange.

I later left with over a hundred dollars. I walked home and mother checked over how much my present would cost. Her eyes landed on me slyly. She kissed my hair and winked.

I sat in my room and contemplated for some time what I would write on the back. Once I figured it out I fell into another montage of eternal silence. The silence sometimes became solemn and wistful. I looked at a picture of my mother and father with me and Laine. He had never understood my condition like mother. Peter only knew him for two years. My father died later in war. War for a country that we weren't originally from. I stroked the frame in remembrance and fell asleep by accident.

Christmas morning.

Alfred came over later and hugged me tightly. "Merry Christmas" he signed. I nodded and pulled him into the kitchen away from our two families. Mathew just smiled and pretended to ignore the fact that we were there.

I pulled out a box and handed the purple wrapped square to him. Alfred raised an eyebrow and took it. He opened it and pulled open the lid. He pulled out the dog tag and read it. He grinned and searched me for a single set emotion when in truth; I had no idea what to feel. Alfred put it on and held it up to read.

"I love you, too, Arthur." He said. My eyes filled with tears and I hugged him.

When you are deaf, love feels like something you might never have the chance to experience. As if you will never snuggle with your love and watch a sappy movie or open presents together on Christmas morning. It often times felt hopeless.

But here I was, confessing my love to Alfred F. Jones with a necklace that I could barely afford. He kissed me lightly and laced his fingers with mine. We walked into the living area and our families acted like they didn't notice. Even Mr. Jones seemed somewhat happy at this arrangement. We sat with our family and the night went on like it had for the past thirteen years, but with the lingering knowledge that Alfred and I had found love.

January. A wonderful time. It was still cold and the snow was starting to let up.

We had just gotten back to school. Alfred and I never wanted it to end. When I got home mother seemed especially happy. She ran over and hugged me tightly. I pulled back with a puzzled look.

"I have a surprise." She signed. "What?" I asked.

And she explained that I would be undergoing a surgery that would restore the hearing that had been gone for so long. But only if I wanted to. Of course, I agreed. She took me to the doctor and he explained it all to me. But the only way to have the actual surgery was to head to New York, New York. We lived in Manhattan.

To hear Alfred's voice, to know what it sounds like to hear him say "I love you", would all be worth it. So I took the offer.

The night before we left I walked over to Alfred's house. I knocked and waited. When the door opened I stepped back and slipped. Alfred caught me and wrapped his arms around me. He was quite warm and without a jacket. I pushed him inside so that he wouldn't be too cold. Alfred kissed me lightly.

"How are you?" he signed. I signed back that I was fine. I grabbed a pen and pad. He looked puzzled as I wrote. I showed him and he looked concerned. I told him I was leaving tomorrow but left out the surgery.

"Will you be alright, Arthur?" he mouthed. I nodded and kissed him, my hands holding his face. Alfred snaked his arms around my waist. We pressed together. I knew there might be risks to this surgery and that I may never hear again. But, without risks you never learn what risks are or what it feels like to achieve that.

So with that I left and when the day dawned on us, I was ready for anything.

Anything, for my love.

Xxx

I had taken the leap and landed safely on the other side. The day after the surgery mother was crying with joy while I listened to her sob. Laine laughed, and I realized he sounded more Scottish than British. Peter kept talking to me, joy overwhelming him. I couldn't have been happier in that moment.

For the entire week I was recovering and a speech coach was helping me. Her voice was smooth and calm. She even taught me a few things that I would need once I got home.

And when I did, Alfred was sitting on my doorstep with his arms crossed and a scarf tightly wrapped around his neck. I walked over to him and he popped up. His whole face lit up and Alfred nuzzled his head into my neck.

"It's coooold!" he whined. His voice was absolutely beautiful. It was confident and made my body tingle. I stroked his hair.

"Sorrey." I tried to say. He looked up at me and stared. "Alfrhed. I luhv youh." He planted a kiss softly on my lips. My mother told him about the surgery and we walked inside. Alfred kept talking, telling me about what we could do.

And I thanked god for giving me Alfred, and the ability to love him as he loved me even when I had nothing to give.

**Well, this is why I haven't updated in a while. I hope you all liked my little one shot. Anyway, please review and thank you all for reading this fic.**


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